Prime Pacific Heights/Presidio Heights Parking Garage Built in 1999, this modern garage has two levels.

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Garage Parking (residential) Rent or Sell : Parking Garage in Presidio/Pacific Heights

Filed under: Podcasts, Convertible, Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Nissan, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Rumormill, Fiat

Fiat and Mazda teaming up, Consumer Reports eco-trim test, Aston Martin AM310, BMW Zagato Coupe, Dany Bahar suspended

Episode #284 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Chris, Dan and Zach chat about Mazda and Fiat collaborating on the next MX-5 Miata and Spyder, Consumer Reports’ test of eco-trim compacts, the Aston Martin AM310 and BMW Zagato Coupe that debuted at Villa d’Este, and the suspension of Dany Bahar from Lotus over alleged misconduct. Your questions and comments power the end of the ‘cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We’ve embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #284:

Topics:

• Fiat and Mazda shacking up on a roadster
• Consumer Reports eco-model test
• Aston Martin AM310 and BMW Zagato Coupe from Villa d’Este
• Dany Bahar suspended from Lotus

In the Autoblog Garage:
2012 Volvo XC70 T6 Polestar
2012 Nissan Quest
2013 Acura RDX

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman

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Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #284

Autoblog Podcast #284 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #284

Filed under: Hybrid, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, BMW, Electric, Diesel, Luxury

There once was a time when BMW only produced a handful of its models in high-performance M guise. There was the M3, the M5, and that was pretty much it. Now, however, it offers M models based on the 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, X5 and X6. And that’s only expected to grow.

The first on the docket, says BMW North America CEO (and former M chief) Ludwig Willisch speaking with TheDetroitBureau.com, will be an M7. The Bavarian automaker has long resisted going down the same road as the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG and Audi S8, but that’s slated to change in the near future. But while the X5 M and X6 M have been hot sellers, Willisch rules out the possibility of M versions of the smaller X1 and X3 crossovers, as well as bringing the M550d xDrive super-diesel-sport wagon (or presumably its crossover counterparts) to North America.

Of course, BMW could opt to apply a similar sub-M formula to the 7 Series like it’s doing with the M135i. Either way, BMW is counting on the reduced cost and labor involved in manufacturing carbon fiber components for the viability of both its performance vehicles and its environmentally friendly i range.

As our compatriots at the Bureau note, the engineers at McLaren needed some 3,000 hours of labor to produce the carbon fiber components for the McLaren F1 over a decade ago. By the time it started building the SLR for Mercedes-Benz, it had cut that down to 400 hours. And with the new MP4-12C, it takes them less than six hours. As a result, costs have come down too, resulting in a lower street price for each successive model: $1 million, $400,000 and $250,000, respectively. And that’s a model on which other automakers – like BMW – can seek to capitalize.

BMW banking on carbon fiber costs to broaden M range originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW banking on carbon fiber costs to broaden M range

Filed under: Europe, BMW, Design/Style

BMW has opened a new “Brand Store” on Avenue George V in Paris, not just as a way to initiate tony walking traffic into the brand, but as a salvo in a “comprehensive programme” of luxury retail warfare. Said company CEO Ian Robertson, “We aim to be the benchmark in automotive retail.”

The 800-square-meter (8,611 square feet) showcase “marks the launch of a new generation of BMW brand stores,” part of a rather ominous and clandestine-sounding pair of initiatives called “Future Retail” and “Strategy Number ONE.” Boiled down for laymen, the aim is obviously to get more people in BMWs by getting to more people in more places.

Mini retail stores will follow, as will more social media engagement, and dealers are getting Apple-esque Product Geniuses to “support customers with in-depth product knowledge.” Scroll down for the press release detailing the retail assault, and check out pictures of the Paris opening – especially the white dresses on the pixies – in the gallery of high-res photos.

Continue reading BMW opens a luxury brand store on Avenue George V in Paris

BMW opens a luxury brand store on Avenue George V in Paris originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2012 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW opens a luxury brand store on Avenue George V in Paris

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Videos, BMW, Misc. Auto Shows

Goodbye Bangle, hello Zagato. While the BMW design ethos may be best known for the aggressive flame-surfacing language, it took a decidedly different approach at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este this year when it unveiled the Zagato Coup? concept.

Deduced to be based on the current Z4, the Zagato Coup? was coachbuilt by the famed Milanese design studio into the swoopy Kamm-tailed prototype you see here. Word on the Italian lakeshore is that, along with the new shape, BMW also increased the coupe’s output to 400 horsepower – presumably from the 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight six that produces 340 horsepower in the top-of-the-line Z4 sDrive35is.

But don’t take our word for it – watch the video below to listen to the fully functional concept car kick over as Andrea Zagato drives his latest creation from the lawn across the judging booth at Villa d’Este.

Continue reading BMW Zagato Coupe clears its throat for the crowds at Villa d’Este

BMW Zagato Coupe clears its throat for the crowds at Villa d’Este originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 May 2012 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW Zagato Coupe clears its throat for the crowds at Villa d’Este

Rarely is there an opportunity to own a luxurious 6167± sf triplex Penthouse with an additional 3000± sf of enchanting terraces in Soho’s most sought after full service pre-war Condo. Enter via keyed elevator to either floor; this magnificent sun filled loft has 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 powder rooms an enormous state-of-the-art windowed gourmet eat-in kitchen, walk-in butler’s pantry, separate formal dining room that faces East encased in a glass solarium, an expansive living room with fireplace, library/media room are all surrounded by undoubtedly one of the most beautiful private terraces in all of Soho

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Celebrity Homes : Alicia Keys Lists Glassy-Cool, Empire-State-of-Mind Penthouse

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, BMW, Misc. Auto Shows

It could be said that no auto show is as glamorous as the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Held on the picturesque shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, the annual concours is sponsored by BMW. So it only stands to reason that the Bavarian automaker wouldn’t let the show come and go without making a splash on its own.

Previous years saw BMW roll into Cernobbio with such show-stopping concepts as the M1 Hommage and the 328 Hommage, but this year it’s not looking back on its history to draw its inspiration. Instead it’s teamed up with celebrated Italian coachbuilder Zagato to dream up the concept you see here.

A rare instance of Munich reaching beyond its own design department, the BMW Zagato Coup? is a one-off concept, but is far from a fragile show car. The shape is aerodynamically optimized and the car is fully road registered in Germany, and has already undergone high-speed testing at BMW’s own test facility. The Bavarian automaker remains tight-lipped on its underpinnings and running gear, but the obvious conclusion – whether ultimately correct or not – is that it’s based on the Z4 roadster.

Whatever lies beneath the hand-crafted aluminum shape, however, is of less consequence than its design. Reinvigorating a tradition of collaboration that goes back to the 1959 BMW 3200 Michelotti Vignale through to the Giugiaro-designed M1 of 1978, the Zagato Coup? concept aptly embodies design cues attributable to both BMW and Zagato – from the twin-kidney grille (whose mesh is made up of little Zs), over the double-bubble roof (a hallmark of Zagato styling originally intended to accommodate a racing helmet in early designs) to the Kamm tail that BMW and Zagato both claim as common heritage.

The greenhouse is set way back and the hood is longer than it took us to put together the immense gallery of high-resolution images BMW has released of the show-stopping concept, which you’ll want to check out in detail along with the full press release below.

Continue reading BMW reveals stunning Zagato Coupe at Villa d’Este

BMW reveals stunning Zagato Coupe at Villa d’Este originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW reveals stunning Zagato Coupe at Villa d’Este

Filed under: Classics, Sedan, Performance, Videos, BMW, Luxury

The 70s were a definitive decade for music and movies. Fashion and cars, not so much. The 80s corrected one of those oversights, an era of ethereal supercars like the Porsche 959, game-changing exotics like the Ferrari Testarossa, and, best of all, everday cannons that offered mortals a generous portion of lairy thrills, such as Chris Harris’ 1986 e28 BMW M5.

In 1986, a 3,100-pound, 286-horsepower luxury sedan straight from the factory that could also handle was as rare as a goose with lips. Sure, there was a more powerful AMG Mercedes-Benz E-Class but it didn’t want to get into a lengthy conversation about handling, and there was the AMG Hammer, but that was a terrifically expensive tuner special. The M5 weighed the same as the 1986 Chevrolet Corvette and had 225-section rear tires just like the ‘Vette, but the M5 had 36 more horsepower. And it had four, leather-covered seats. And it could corner.

All of which has to do with why Drive’s Chris Harris spends eight minutes explaining, and showing, why he loves his personal M5 so much. Scroll down to learn about the sedan that compels him to say “it’s the best money I’ve ever spent on a car.”

Continue reading Chris Harris explains what makes his own 1986 BMW M5 so special

Chris Harris explains what makes his own 1986 BMW M5 so special originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Harris explains what makes his own 1986 BMW M5 so special

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Filed under: Car Buying, Performance, Etc., Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Earnings/Financials, Luxury

Picking up a used luxury car is a great way to save some coin. Letting the previous owner take the fall on depreciation is a smart move, but it’s worth remembering that high-end autos carry with them high-end maintenance and repair costs. Using Edmunds.com data, 24/7 Wall Street has compiled what it says are the 10 most expensive vehicles to own, and the list is populated by some not-so-surprising names. BMW and Mercedes-Benz soak up the lion’s share of the offenders, though other manufactures make a showing as well. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG takes top honors as the most expensive of them all with a “true cost of ownership” of $245,469. That’s in addition to the gullwing supercar’s $210,875 MSRP.

The calculations not only factor in deprecation, but also things like fuel, maintenance and insurance costs.

All told, Mercedes-Benz models takes four of the 10 spots on the list. That’s twice as many as BMW, and the rest are split between makes like Land Rover, Audi and Nissan. If that last one seems a bit out of place, keep in mind Nissan makes the mighty (and mighty complex) GT-R. Check out our gallery below for a full list of the biggest offenders.

America, these are your top 10 most expensive cars to own originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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America, these are your top 10 most expensive cars to own